 When summer ends and the school year begins, parents and teachers need to continue their summer safety tips for keeping children cool, hydrated and healthy in the heat. Below are some suggestions for keeping children cool – or at least safer from the heat – at school.
- Make sure children drink plenty of water. Water is the best liquid for hydration, as opposed to sports drinks. Children should hydrate themselves before exercise and replenish their bodies with water during and after playtime. Children weighing 88 lbs should drink 5 ounces of water; adolescents weighing around 132 lbs should drink 9 ounces of water even if they are not thirsty.
- Since the peak hours for sun (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) occur during recess, pack sunscreen with a minimum SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 in their backpack. Sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before going outside, possibly during the lunch break. Sunscreen should be applied even on cloudy days. Don’t forget to apply to the back of their necks and the top of their ears.
- Remind children that playground equipment, especially metal slides, may be very hot and can seriously burn them. In 100 degree weather, playground equipment can be 130 degrees to the touch. A burn from a surface that’s 160 degrees could require surgery to skin graft the injury.
- Children who play hard and steady for 15 minutes should take a short break in a shaded area to avoid heat exhaustion, especially when the humidity level is high. Signs of heat exhaustion include dizziness, inability to sweat and paleness around the mouth.
- If the temperature or heat index is extremely high, parents and teachers should keep children indoors.
- During the summer, or any other time of year, it is critical that children are never left alone in a vehicle. The temperature inside a car can quickly reach levels in excess of 100 degrees in a matter of minutes. Children dehydrate much faster than adults and any amount of time in a hot car can prove fatal. The best practice is - if you leave your vehicle for any period of time, take your child with you. Leaving a rattle or baby toy in the front seat can sometimes help remind parents to check the backseat of their car so a child isn't accidentally left alone.
- Another safety net for parents is to set up an “absence alert” with their daycare. If a child is absent from daycare, childcare workers will call the parents at a given number to confirm the child is sick or has an intended absence.
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Dr. Samiya Razzaq
Arkansas Children's Hospital
UAMS College of Medicine
Department of Pediatrics |
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Dr. Bryan Burke
Arkansas Children's Hospital
UAMS College of Medicine
Department of Pediatrics |
The Cool Rules Summer Safety Tips were developed with the assistance of Dr. Samiya Razzaq and Dr. Bryan Burke, pediatricians at Arkansas Children's Hospital and faculty members at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Department of Pediatrics.
Media Contact:
Ginger Daril
ACH Public Relations
(501) 364-6444
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